


Stuck at Home

by fitzu



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Family Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:14:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26979415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fitzu/pseuds/fitzu
Summary: Cordelia had an accident during a training session. Severa, being an ever caring daughter, decided to visit her mother and keep her company.
Kudos: 9





	Stuck at Home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BrandedKing](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrandedKing/gifts).



“Mommy!” A youthful redhead barreled through the door and into the almost humble manor. The father had a bad habit of using most of his paycheck for his wife. And even if he was no longer present, his express orders to the monarch to spend his pension toward his family were dutifully fulfilled. A big home for his wife and daughters was one of his wishes. Severa did not mind having her own room, not that she would be willing to admit it. She felt a sense of comfort upon entering the house.

The lady of the household looked comfortable. Though, the cast on her leg kept her from running to greet her child. "Ah, it's been some time since you called me that," Cordelia responded with a small smirk. Ever since they began to make amends and be a bit more honest with their feelings, the older woman made a habit of teasing her future child. She awkwardly moved her body to face the fellow Pegasus Knight.

“Oh hush! I did not make a stop on my errands to get your snark.” Severa frowned at her mother’s comment. She tapped her foot and kept her gaze on the floor. As much as she likely hated to admit it to herself, the sight of her parent nursing an injury made her uncomfortable.

“A stop on your errands? I could’ve sworn you had drills at this hour,” Her foreknowledge of Severa’s day was a bane to the younger woman. As much as Cordelia antagonized her child, her smile was more than just amusement at the other’s growing fluster. She was genuinely touched by the prompt visit. The sight of her daughter made the unbearable itch beneath her cast be forgotten.

Severa crossed her arms and gave an unspoken ultimatum as she faced the doorway once more. No immediate response from Cordelia warranted her to glance back to the bed. The younger man’s face paled upon seeing her mother try to sit up. Soon, the daughter was spurred to ease her mother back onto the mattress. “Oi! You literally have had no time to recover!” She berated the older woman, uncaring of her prior coldness.

Cordelia shook her head to the cries. “I am perfectly fine, Sev. I may have fallen off my pegasus this morning, but there was a cleric nearby. The bone was properly set before a mend was used. The cast is only to make sure it heals correctly for the next few days.” The way her daughter looked at her made it seem like she would need a peg leg. The pain and aches were hardly anything compared to what she endured too. Her condition was far from the worst she experienced.

“Like hell you are! How far did you fall?!” Severa’s pointed gaze told that she did not merely find out from a whisper. The woman likely knew enough to rightly counter any excuses. It was rare that the younger woman had her mother so quiet. After Cordelia understood how the other operated, she was able to adequately respond to the teenager’s behavior.

Owning up to Severa’s question, Cordelia frowned and knotted her fingers passively. “Possibly ten meters...” Her lack of confidence in the number earned her the rise of an eyebrow. “Maybe a bit more,” She shamelessly tacked on.

Severa rolled her eyes at the begrudged answers. "Fifteen meters. You nearly plummeted to your death," She spoke in a hiss. She did well to temper her volume. Her intent was not to catch her siblings' attention. Her younger self was either at home or the castle with her friends. She could not risk upsetting the child, lest she dealt with incessant crying. That would be both tiring and embarrassing.

“But, I am fine. Really, the cleric only asked that I rest for the remainder of the month.” She was quick to reassure. Despite the gravity of the incident, her injuries were far from egregious. One broken leg from such a fall was sheer luck.

Severa rolled her eyes. “If she says to rest, then you rest. Don’t go getting up.” She ordered her supposed superior brazenly. That was one perk to being the air commander’s eldest daughter. She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Does Morgan know of your state?”

"Morgan is resting in her bed upstairs," The mother answered with some confusion. Her eyes trailed up to the nearby stairway. Her mind was on the childhood nursery. The very room she and Robin meticulously painted themselves. The sweet memory momentarily distracted from the interrogation.

“I meant my Morgan, the older Morgan.” The other corrected with a groan. Her impatience was enough for Cordelia to cease thinking of the pleasant moment in her past. While it was one of her most cherished memories, she knew better than to ignore the teenager. “Does she know about your little fall?”

“She does. She went ahead on a a mission. She is with the Exalt, Princess Lissa, and Frederick.” The answer served to clue Severa in. She likely understood quickly where her younger sister was at that time. The task generally involved the likes of the trio and Cordelia or Morgan.

With that said, she sighed and found some relief in the knowledge Morgan was aware of. It meant that Severa had to do twice the work in fulfilling her mother's whims and chiding her for exerting herself. The older woman giggled at the exasperated sigh that left the younger's mouth. They both knew well how that day would go for them. "Ugh. Just my luck. You better be grateful for all that I'm doing today."

Cordelia did not take offense at the scathing tone. "I will make sure to return the favor when you're in my position." She already did so during the war. Severa's explosive personality had her getting a number of injuries throughout the conflicts with Valm, Plegia, and against Grima. Her daughter often lacked caution when it came to completing her tasks.

“I’m not going to do something like falling off my pegasus due to a strong gust and a misfired arrow,” Severa was quick to cite the recent event. The accident was a rookie mistake, both from the archer and the flier. Her mother’s response to the flying projectile was to jerk the stead in the opposite direction, in doing so she lost her balance and came loose from her saddle.

The mention had the older woman legitimately flustered by the thought. The idea of her child in the same predicament was also not a pleasant thought either. “I sure hope so,” She said genuinely, “but you also overwork yourself. You’ll get yourself sick if you keep exerting your body.”

The comment earned Severa’s ire. “I know my limits!” She bit her cheek and stowed away her rage.

“I know you do, sweetie.” Cordelia outstretched her arm to pet her daughter on the crown. The demeaning gesture earned a small growl. “But, you’re also very competitive.” Her observation was not unfounded. Her daughter’s habit of competing with her peers continued to grow each month. It was to the point where she would start trivial contests in the mess hall.

Her point received an eye roll. "Oh quiet! I am responsible too. I already do more for my squadron than the useless captain." Cordelia thought back on the many nights she had to deal with the other's grumbling. Despite her extensive combat experience, the younger woman was still junior to the organization. Her perfect grades were not enough to earn her a position in command.

To that end, the air commander often heard what the other’s antics caused. “You’re doing great, even if I have a few complaints.” A few did not exactly cover it, but it was not her place to chastise the younger woman. She would be more willing if she was not in a cast.

“Complaints?! Who is tattling?” Severa seemed completely oblivious to her word choice. Cordelia had to admit the teenager sounded somewhat suspicious.

She shook her head. "I can't break anonymity. But, it's more than the captain." She said that all with a grin, enough clue in Severa that she had no intention of offending her daughter.

“That... Ugh!” The lieutenant was so close to cursing out her superior. “Wait, you’re joking?”

Cordelia reclined back on her makeshift bed. She fluffed a pillow and got comfortable before gratifying the question with a proper response. "More so embellishing. All the complaints, barring the captain, are from your first week. They are hardly relevant now." Though, her first week came with a lot of comments. All of the girls in her platoon had something to say about the white-haired girl's behavior.

Severa found no pleasure in being goaded and pouted. “Well, uh, good.” Her eyes glanced to the kitchen. There were no pots or pans out. The entire area was in pristine condition. “Sooo, have you eaten yet?”

“Food hadn’t crossed my mind admittedly,” Cordelia blinked at the mention of food. Truthfully, her loneliness had her mind going other directions, far less simple than a warm meal. Her surprise masked the other emotions brewing in her. By her lonesome, her mind went to darker places.

Rather than pick up on the absent stare, the daughter honed in on the surface details. “Of course you would neglect your health. You’re helpless, always needing help.” While the words were Severa’s usual brand of snark, the implications were far from innocent. The other meant no offense. To Cordelia, the other invoked other ideas. Her hand gripped her sheets as her entire being ached. She was quick to shake away the wave of negativity. Sadly, it still lingered in the back of her head.

Her crimson eyes reflected some of her discomforts. "I'll have you know I was doing quite well on my own until I started relying on your father. I can't help that I got so used to his help in my daily routine," She did not mean to cast blame on Robin. She more so found herself thinking of how she truly learned codependence from him. She learned to rely on Robin to fill in for menials tasks or double-check her work.

“Well, he’s not here now,” Severa stated flatly. Regret only registered with the daughter until the words left her mouth. Her eyes were the size of saucers, waiting for how her mother would react.

“... It became so natural for me to have him fretting,” Cordelia confessed. She learned to focus on her immediate tasks and have her husband remind her to pack a lunch or to make sure Morgan did not stack books again. “He made me want to be a little imperfect. I wanted to depend on his presence,” Her words were bittersweet. She came to love being less than perfect. It made her heart flutter to have him finish her thoughts. The connection she shared with him was sublime. Yet without him, there was a void in her life.

Severa scratched the back of her head. She broke from her prickly character to show her shame. "Look, mom, I didn't mean that. I, well, want to... Ugh, let me help you," The daughter was quick to run off to the kitchen. "I'll make you some soup." The offer was juvenile but appreciated all the same.

The mother was hungry. But, she still felt a need not to guilt her child into acting for her well being. Even without Robin, she was not rudderless. She was one of the highest military minds in the entire Halidom. “Severa, I am fine. I miss him dearly, but I know he will return. It was as Naga said. If his bonds were strong, he would be back. I trust in what we had. I feel confident that he will enter through that very door.” The goddess was not generally wrong. Cordelia’s faith had her steadfast in reality. She knew that her husband would be back. Her bonds with him were unshakable.

The confidence in her tone was not enough to fully sway the white-haired woman. "Until he does, you can swallow your pride and rely on me. Again, don't go misunderstanding! I'm doing this because you need to be in good health to look after little me and little Morgan. They need their mother." The offer earned a small smile. Her earnest children made each day easier. Regardless of Robin's whereabouts, she was never alone. Her four children all gave her purpose and a source of happiness. Though, she was not about to admit that she needed to be cared for.

“You need me too, Severa, whether you want to admit it or not.” She countered in a calm voice. She did not need to match Severa’s volume to get through to the younger woman.

“I don’t need you! I can do well on my own. I am pretty sure I am being considered for captain,” She huffed with pride. The status of her promotion was, however, meant to be kept a secret. Cordelia allowed her to be considered, but she had the other captains make their verdicts. She was not about to have her prodigal child be accused of nepotism.

The redhead offered no validation in her response. “I cannot confirm or deny that. But, I can say that you still visit often,” She chimed in, “While everyone is so quick to start new adventures, you continue to come home.” She referred to all the children of the Shepherds in that remark. Inigo and Owain were running across the continent. Lucina and Gerome vanished without a trace. The likes of Nah, Laurent, Noire, and Kjelle were all scarce in Ylisse. It was only Morgan, Severa, and Cynthia that remained in Ylisstol proper.

“Do you want me to leave?!” Severa took the observation as a challenge. She feigned marching off to the door. The mother knew well that her child would not abandon the boiling pot she started. Severa was capable of many things, but she was not about to harm any family member with her carelessness.

Even still, Cordelia thought it wise to treat her daughter fairly. “No, no. I love it. I love having you here. In my moments of weakness, like now, it’s nice to have you,” She felt somewhat confident in admitting that fact. The woman kept her days brighter. “I know your father will return, but the wait is difficult. I cannot help but feel disappointed when a messenger or cadet knocks at the door. You being here, it makes everything easy. I can keep my mind away from the pain, both physical and emotional.” Her child served to keep her from her lowest point. Despair could never claim her, not when she had a whole family to care for.

The compliment looked to be well-received. “Quit getting all excited. He will return, just gotta wait till he shows up.” She responded half-heartedly. Her usual bark was gone from her tone.

“Is it wrong to want him to return sooner?” Cordelia asked calmly. The chance to vent her emotions assisted with making the subject easier on her.

“Regardless of where he is, I’m still here to help.” The white-haired woman blinked as it dawned on her how sappy that might have sounded. “But I won’t always! I swear I’ll move out soon.”

The addition to the statement earned a giggle. “Take your time. I would be bored without you around. I love hearing your excuses over how any negative reports weren’t your fault.” She secretly enjoyed having her daughter vent over the same matters that she once found frustration with. Severa was in her exact position when she was her age.

“I can’t help it that the captain doesn’t know a thing,” Severa continued on that subject. She was very dead set on disliking her superior.

Cordelia watched whimsically as her daughter returned to the room with a bowl of broth. It was not the most appetizing dish, but her child’s cooking skills were leagues above Kjelle. She was grateful for that immensely. Where the meal lacked in any rich flavor, she could feel the emotions. “I see you put a lot of love in it.”

Once again, the white-haired girl glowered. “Stop it! This is the last time I do anything for you.”

It was an obvious lie. Cordelia knew that immediately. "Didn't you say you would take care of me?" But, she was not about to make life any easier for the other, not when it was already difficult to accept being tended to. She returned to her bowl as her daughter openly balked.

“Don’t make me take back my words,” She fired back. Her defensiveness was made more adorable by the small blush on her face. The pink tint on her usually pale cheeks was easy to spot. “Forget it, I’m too tired to deal with this nonsense. Is there anything more you forgot?”

Seeing the other let go of her frustration was enough for Cordelia to show her sincerity. "I wouldn't mind having your company for the time being. Being unable to do work has made me quite bored. It doesn't help that the young ones are either away or soundly asleep." The redhead found herself willing to acknowledge how much Severa’s presence improved her day. 

There was little to do when stuck in bed without any company. It was a chore in and of itself to grab a book from the personal library. "I am sure Morgan won't be much longer. When exactly did she leave?" If she remembered correctly, the details of the outing had her sibling staying within Ylisse. Not exactly a small amount of time, it was still bound to be a day trip or two. It was hardly that short by the mother's metric.

Nevertheless, she did not correct the other. “She left right after my accident. She would’ve wanted to stay, but I knew she wanted to go on the mission.” Her middle child’s happiness mattered more than a bout of loneliness. She found more comfort in Morgan being able to join the excursion.

"Right, right," Severa hummed, "it's not like her to stand still for too long anyway. She's too hyperactive." Morgan's excitement was without peer. But, Cordelia knew better than to think the girl was enigmatic.

Her knowing smile was enough to clue in Severa that she was going to do more than agree. "Need I remind you that it's a family trait?"

The younger woman puffed her cheek at the response and crossed her arms like she had earlier. “I thought we were done with throwing jabs.”

Cordelia waved her hand to dissuade the thought. She meant no offense... Maybe some, but she meant nothing negative. She quite liked that trait about her daughters. She admired their constant diligence. “I didn't mean it like that. I meant that there’s nothing wrong with being that way. It’s what made you both so incredible.” She loved it a lot. Her voice carried only admiration. The mirth in her tone was candid. She wanted Severa to understand her belief.

The white-haired girl took the praise well. “Incredible, huh?” She had to face the floor to hide her expression. Despite her best efforts, Cordelia already caught a glimpse of the joy.

The lack of a meaningful response told the mother to continue her thought. It was just how her younger Severa ceased her pouting whenever she began patting her head. She had to suppress her giggle before speaking. "You've always blown me away. It amazes me how much you're able to do. I am truly proud of you, both of you. I must admit I'm even envious of how fast you've grown. I was not even considered for captain until there was an actual vacancy." She let that detail slip, willing to give weight to her words. "I've told you many times that you'll surpass me and any of my 'expectations' I set for you, but that's not true. I already find myself thinking I need to put in as much effort as possible to stay ahead."

“You’re just... saying that,” Her rebuttal did not seem to convince herself. Severa was completely caught by her mother’s words. Her own set of crimson eyes looked to be caught in a trance, unable to break from her interest. For once, she had no room for doubt.

“I swear on the order itself. You’re already stronger than me. You’re your father’s daughter too. You have his intellect.” The thought likely sounded ludicrous to the teenager. Yet, she looked to be eating every word.

Severa sheepishly shook her head to the notion, trying to deny the idea before she clung to it. “That can’t be true. That’s Morgan. She inherited his smarts.”

"Smarts are not inheritable. Maybe some skills, but she did not learn her tactics from conception. She devoted herself to her studies. You both gained his wisdom. He was not a grandmaster for being a bookworm. He thought quickly and made educated decisions effectively. You're the same. Your wit was what got you to ace your studies and make you an ace on the battlefield." No fool could survive what her daughter had. From what she heard, her eldest was neither a coward nor a weak link. Her presence on the battlefield from their raid on Nelson's fortress to their victory against the Fell Dragon was always felt. They both knew that.

“Mom, I--” Her words were halted by a noise.

It was a knock at the door. Both women shot their heads in the direction of the sound, curious gazes lingered on the wooden frame. The earlier bit of their conversation came to mind immediately. An emotionally raw Severa was not enough to stop the redhead from hoping. The desperate look she gave her daughter urged the younger woman to answer.

Severa was met with an unfamiliar face. It was a man, but he lacked the messy white hair or familiar garb of her father. He was an absolute stranger. With an envelope in hand. He was only a mailman. The intense gaze of both women had the poor servant stammering out an almost unintelligible message before being on his way. All that was left of him was the small envelope in the teenager’s hands.

She deposited it to the nearest countertop before turning back to her mother. She understandably was unsure of what to say next. The interlude likely had her hesitant to continue their conversation. Before she could put together an icebreaker, her voice stopped at the sound of chuckling.

Cordelia found herself caught in a small fit of laughter, unable to hold back at the amusement of what just happened. "I'm sorry about that. It's not a habit that I can break so quickly. Easier said than done." It was not exactly as humorous as her laughs made it seem, but it was on her for getting so hopeful over a mere knock.

"Nah, I get it. I admit I also got hopeful. Erm, it's... totally you're fault. You made me think so with that dumb look on your face," Severa's habits were equally as stubborn. She always fell back on her more prickly side, only breaking done for brief moments. Her acceptance into the order and their reconciliation were two rare examples of Severa coming forward with her emotions.

While her behavior was far from being “friendly”, she grew used to the attitude. It was a part of her life. “Anyways... Who exactly was it?”

“Some mailman. He bailed as soon as he handed me a letter,” She informed her mother. Her eyes wandered to the paper. Curiosity had her inspecting the item. Her attention was only half on it.

"You know, Severa," Cordelia found herself needing to explain her earlier impulse, "I won't be content with just him. I won't be content with just him and the little ones. I need my whole family." As beautiful thought as it was, the teenager was not entirely listening. Her focus shifted from the words to the object in her hands. The redhead saw her daughter passively scan to intently glancing at it over. She soon learned why upon seeing the royal seal.

Her eyebrow raised at the sight, wondering if it was Sumia wishing her a fast recovery. Though, she took notice of the grass stains and tears. The paper looked like it was handled with little care. “Who is it from?” Cordelia asked in a confused voice.

The question was enough to break Severa from her trance. “It’s from Princess Lissa. Expressly delivered.” The implications of the message had not fully sunk in yet. Though, both women were piecing together the clues quickly.

“Would you open it for me?” There was no verbal answer. Severa was already peeling away the envelope to see the contents. The letter was short. It only contained a sentence or two. 

Despite being only a few words made of messy ink on a partially crumpled piece of paper, the message ushered in a deathly silence then prompt sobs. Both women stared at the characters in disbelief. 

It was at that moment that Cordelia truly rued her injury and the fact that she had to be stuck at home. It took a whimpering Severa to hold her down and keep her from testing her leg.


End file.
